Explosive compound



UNITED STATES r PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER F. MOHRIG} OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

EXFfLOSlVE .COMPQUND SPECIFICATION forming part af 1'.etter=.?atent No.268,518, dated Decemberfi, 1882.

Application filed August 9, 1881. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER F. M011- RIG, of the city and county ofSan Francisco, in the State of California, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Explosive Compounds and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to that class of explosive compounds in thecomposition of. which chlorate of potash enters as the principalingredient or base. Such compounds, while pos-' duce a compound withchlorate of potash as the base in which great energy and powerful;effect are combined with safety in handling,

freedom from explosion by friction or percussion when not confined underpressure, and

which is adapted to be used in close-or confined situations, where thegeueratiou of un-..;'

healthy and dangerous vapors and odors would be an objection and preventthe employmen of such explosives.

The invention will be iinderstood as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

I mix and combine together the following iug dientsin the usual mannerof making such compounds, and with the assistance of any suitableapparatus known to those acquainted or familiar with the art: chlorateof potash, fifty to seventy parts; sugar, twelve to fifteen parts;charcoal, five parts; water, twentytive to thirty parts. I grind thesesubstances together and reduce them to a pulverulent condition. Intothis mixture I then introduce black oxide of manganese, five parts;metallic zinc, ten to twenty parts, ground together and reduced. I thengrind and mix the whole inti'mately together. To the mixture andcompound 1 then add about ten (10) parts of wax by heating the compoundto the temperature of boiling water and then combining the wax bystirring and thoroughly incorporating it throughout the mass. For thispurpose I employ yellow wax, beeswax, or vegetable wax. The degree ofheat used should'not be greater than necessary to render the wax softand pliable, as its natural tenacity would be destroyed or impaired byincreased heat.

This compound has great force. It is not percussion. Its. freedom fromobjectionable vapors and odors when used in confined places renders itof especial value in shafts, tunnels, and other close situations.

'It is well known that the use of chlorate of potash as the chiefingredient in such compounds is attended with much danger from the factthat the particles of chlorate dist-ributed among and throughout theother substances and ingredients are sensitive both to percussive forceand to friction, and willreadily ignite when subjected to any force ofsuch character in handling or transportation; and in order to overcome,restrict, or remove this peculiar property, many modes and processeshave been suggested, devised, and employed, so that thisotherwisedesirable explosive could be generally used with comparativesafety. ,For this purpose soft, pliable, or semi-elastic substances havebeen employed for providing asoft or partly elastic coating or cushionto surround and envelop the chlorate particles, and thus isolate themfrom one another, and among them tarry and resinous substances have beenemployed with improved results. Such substances, however, whileoperating with good effect at first, gradually lose their soft andpliable nature or condition, and'after a time -become hardened orbrittle under changes of temperature, and the compound with its supposedsafe quality is rendered more dangerous than if the attempt to removethe tendency of the chlorate particles to ignite from friction andpercussion had not been made. I find, however, in the use of wax, eitherin the form of yellow wax, beeswax,or vegetable wax, thatI obtain acovering or coating medium deterioration after manufacture, but remainspermanently soft and pliable. it has no tendency to harden or becomebrittle or to crumble and separate from the chlorate particles, and itis readily applied to and incorporated for the chlorateparticles that isnot subject to:

liable to explode accidentally from friction orconsistingotthefollewingingredients,in about the proportions named. viz:chlorate of potl5 ash sugar, charcoal, black exitle of manganese,metallic zine, water, and wax in either of the forms of yellow wax,beeswax, 0r vegewith any chlorate compound. By the use of thisingredient I am enabled to give this class of explosives a quality ofsafety not; attainahie' by the use of mineral substances, which,possessing the required pliabillty at the time of manufacture, graduallypart with it or f tab-1e Wax, in about the proportions set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my 20 hand and seal.

CHRISTOPHER F. MOHRIG. ['L. s] Attest:

EDWARD E. Osnonx, W. F. CLARK.

change their character after combination with the eomponnd. I Having{thus described my inventionm'hai: I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

As an improvement in ehlorate-of-peiash explosives, theherein-descrihev'l eompannd,

